


Trust

by Avengerz



Series: Tumblr Ficlets [14]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, POV Outsider, Rhodey is ride or die for Tony, and vice versa tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 22:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10174211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avengerz/pseuds/Avengerz
Summary: Prompt on tumblr: "De-aged Tony only recognises Rhodey and he only accepts his help. And the Avengers can only watch how great Rhodey is with Tony."Tony puts his back to a brick wall and eyes them all warily, and Natasha suggests calling Pepper. Steve does, and explains the situation. Pepper is quiet for a long moment. “Call Rhodey,” she says. “He’s stationed not too far away from New York City right now. He’ll be able to help.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's ya girl back at it again with those late-night drabbles
> 
> also the child abuse is like..... barely implied if you're worried about that

If Steve were to guess, he would have imagined that 15-year-old Tony Stark would be a shorter, beard-less version of current Tony Stark - loud, brash, arrogant, flashy, albeit secretly kind. If Steve were to guess, he would have imagined that a magically de-aged Tony Stark would bluster his way through the unfamiliar modern age, easily adapting to new technology to return him to his proper age. If Steve were to guess, he would have imagined that Tony Stark would love the Avengers even more than he does as an adult, that childhood hero worship he sometimes hinted at surfacing.

If Steve were to guess, he wouldn’t have imagined this: Tony Stark scrabbling desperately at the suit’s releases until Steve unlocks it for him, revealing a scrap of a kid. He wouldn’t have imagined this: Tony Stark stumbling out of a too-large suit that suddenly seemed too much like a coffin, pale-faced and wide-eyed. He wouldn’t have imagined this: Tony Stark flinching away from Steve, his breaths coming too fast and too tight as his eyes flicked around Times Square. He wouldn’t have imagined this: Tony Stark silent, afraid of them, but even more afraid of the SHEILD van they try to load him into.

Tony puts his back to a brick wall and eyes them all warily, and Natasha suggests calling Pepper. Steve does, and explains the situation. Pepper is quiet for a long moment. “Call Rhodey,” she says. “He’s stationed not too far away from New York City right now. He’ll be able to help.”

Steve calls James Rhodes, and explains the situation again. Rhodes says, voice tight, “leave him alone but don’t let him out of your sight. I’ll be there in less than an hour.”

With the sorcerer that had been wrecking havoc in Times Square safely in SHEILD custody, New Yorkers and tourists alike begin to flood the streets again, snapping photos and trying to interview the Avengers, who never linger at a battle site. Clint, as jovial and friendly as he knows how to be, attempts to convince Tony to let them at least take him to a nearby coffee shop, where he’ll be out of the public eye.

Tony just eyes him narrowly, and steps a little further into the alley.

They wait, tense and silent as SHEILD agents attempt to block the Avengers from view. Forty-five minutes after Tony was de-aged, Rhodes arrives in the War Machine armor. He lands more than a dozen meters away from Tony, but Tony steps further away from the silver suit, watching it with distrust.

Then it peels away, and Rhodes steps out, and Tony’s eyes go wide. “Rhodey,” he says on a gasp, and runs toward him. Even in his excitement, Steve notices he’s careful to avoid getting too close to the Avengers.

Rhodes grins and opens his arms just in time for Tony to leap into them. Rhodes holds Tony for a long moment.

“What’s happening, Rhodey?” Tony asks, quiet, but not quiet enough for a nearby super-soldier. “This has gotta be time-travel or something, right? There are animated billboards and- no offense buddy, but you look a lot older.”

Rhodes chuckles into Tony’s hair. “I’ll explain everything. You’re safe, though, alright? Those guys aren’t gonna hurt you,” he jerks his head towards the watching Avengers, “but even if they tried I wouldn’t let them.”

Steve catches the way Tony shudders and leans a little further into Rhodes. “You’re always looking out for me,” he says, too soft and relieved to sound truly teasing.

“You know it, kid.” Rhodes presses a kiss to the top of Tony’s head, then pulls back a little. He plucks at the undersuit draped over Tony’s significantly smaller frame, obviously amused. “Now come on. We need to find some clothes that actually fit you, and I bet you’re pretty hungry.”

“Yeah.” Tony doesn’t step away from Rhodes, hovering well within his personal space as if drawn by a magnet. Rhodes doesn’t seem to mind, gracing him with a tousle of his hair and an arm around his shoulders that Tony obviously revels in.

 _Touch-deprived,_  Steve thinks. Then, _huh._  Then, _I guess Natasha’s going to win the bet about whether or not they’re in a relationship._

**Author's Note:**

> You can prompt me or find more of my writing on my [tumblr!](http://anthonyfuckingstark.tumblr.com)


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